TG, Vets, Hendricken set sights on postseason runs

Posted
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 1:00 pm

It’s playoff season already, and three Warwick boys’ soccer teams are hoping they have a postseason to remember.

Both Toll Gate and Warwick Vets solidified their spots as title contenders with strong regular seasons, and they both earned byes in the preliminary round of the playoffs. The Titans are the No. 3 seed in Division II and will play in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 3 p.m. against the winner of today’s game between Smithfield and Moses Brown. The ’Canes are the No. 4 seed in Division III, and will host the winner of today’s showdown between Cranston East and Johnston on Friday at 3:15 p.m.

In Division I, Hendricken finished as the No. 6 seed and will host No. 11 Cumberland today in the preliminary round. With a win, the Hawks would advance to the quarterfinals at No. 3 North Kingstown on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

All three teams are in a better position than they have been in some time. The No. 4 seed for Vets is its best mark since being the No. 2 seed in Division II in 2005. Hendricken hasn’t been as high as No. 6 since 2010, when it was the No. 3 seed. Toll Gate hasn’t been this high since sometime prior to 2000.

Neither Vets nor Toll Gate has ever won a soccer title or been to the championship since records were first kept in 1965. Hendricken’s last title came in 1998.

Warwick’s last public school boys’ soccer title came from Pilgrim in 2000, when it won the D-II crown. The Pats didn’t qualify for the playoffs this year.